Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1887-04-21
Tobacco In the Leaf.


on Monday of last week. The old
directors were reelected, and their
report was read, as follows: "A pre-
iiminary meeting Of those interested
in leaf tobacco was held April 5,h,
1886, to consider the formation of q
permanent trade organization, The
proposition met with unanimous ap-
proyal. and q committee of seven was
appointed to formulate plan of asso-
citation. On April IS, the COMMITTEES
reported to an adjourned meeting .
series Of rules and regulations for the
government of the Leaf Tobacco Asso-
cietion of Baltimore City, which were
accepted, and then and there the
Association was formed, and the fol-
lowing directors were elected: DR.. G.
W. Dorsey. Geo. R. Carter, Jas. A.
Dawkins. Henry Lauts, Chas. A. Mar
tin, w. Fl. Moore. R. o. Mullikin,
Charles w. Owens. DR.. Thomas C.
Price, j.. S. Rawlings and E. G. Wenck,
who elected the following officers ::
DR.. Thomas G. Price, president; W. q.
Moore, vice-president. Charles A.
Martin, secretary; Henry Lauts, treas
urer. With the exception of three
firms, all those interested in the leaf
tobacco business, whether as receivers,
buyers, or manufacturers, joined the
association, which started with a mem
bership of forty-one. During the first
year, the directors have aimed to pro-
ceed in the most cautious and conser-
vative manner in the consideration Of
any changes in trade customs which,
from time to time, have been proposed,
aud, after thorough discussion. have
accepted none, believing that, how
ever beneficial such changes might be
found ut some future time, they were
inexpedient at present. They have,
however, taken action, at various
times, as follows;
advice TO PLANTERS AND PACKERS.
In APRIL and in November, 1886,
they caused to be distributed to the
planters and packers of tobacco
throughout Mary yland circulars giving
them the best advice, from the exper-
fence both of shippers and commission
merchants, in regard to the handling
and packing their crops. The circu-
lars were considered of sufficient value
and Importance to the tobacco inter-
ests to be published gratis in most of
the newspapers in the tobacco-growing
counties, accompanied in many in
stances by approving editorial COM
ments.
A GOOD PLAN OR ARBITRATION.
On several occasions, when specific
complaints had been made against
some of the tobacco warehouses, let
ter has been sent to each inspector
calling his attention to the matter with
beneficial results.
The most important good accom-
plished has been the making of an
agreement with the state tobacco in
spectors to facilitate arbitration. Af-
ter several claims had been arbitratsd
under the provision of the new tobac-
CO law, some of the inspectors named
as their representatives upon arbitra-
tion committees parties living in the
tobacco growing districts at distance
from the city. 1t was at once appar-
ent that this course, if pursued, would
cause endless delays in the adjust
ment of claims, and a committee was
appointed to confer with the inspec-
tors to rectify the evil. After several
meetings an agreement was made that
all arbitration committees should con-
sist exclusively of sellers, the buyers
waiving their right to serve and the
Inspectors agreeing not to appoint
warehouse employees or planters. Un-
der this agreement arbitrations have
proceeded expeditiously and in the
main, satisfactorily.
THE SYSTEM OF SAMPLES.
While the number of hogsheads
upon which claims have been allowed
has been. triaing when compared to
the aggregate Of the crops, and the
amount of the awards has not even
approached the extravagsnt estimates
indulged in at the start by some Of
the opponents of the tobacco bill, they
have still been sufficiently large to
cause the inspectors to exercise much
more care in sampling, and to adhere
more or less strictly to that clause in
the new law which prescribes repre-
sentation, instead of average samples,
aud which had not been complied with
in the least until after these reclama-
tions began to be made. The pay
ment of these awards has, for the FIRST
time in very many years. inspired in